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It may be only 22 miles west of San Juan, but Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve feels a world away. The resort has a spectacular location on a three-mile stretch of beach on Puerto Rico’s north shore, where Clara Livingston once ran a sugar plantation—and Amelia Earhart visited before departing for her fateful world tour. In 1958, Livingston sold the property to Laurance S. Rockefeller, who turned it into the first of his legendary Rock Resorts. Known for his green streak, he designed the hotel to respect the local beauty, mandating that buildings could not be taller than the surrounding palm trees.

The Ritz-Carlton—which reopened in October 2018 after a meticulous restoration following Hurricane Maria—pays homage to that original vision. Here, every room is beachfront, with floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that disappear into ocean views, plus deep soaking tubs, outdoor showers shaded by gardens, and either spacious balconies or private plunge pools. As part of the property’s renovation, rooms were refreshed with a color palette that amplifies the natural beauty just beyond the doors. Additionally, the grounds showcase 3,000 new plant species, the spa is offering new locally inspired treatments and cuisine, Encanto Beach Club Bar & Grill features a refreshed dinner menu, and the Positivo Sandbar debuted an omakase and ceviche bar directly on the sand. There’s even an entirely reimagined signature restaurant, Coa, which serves farm-to-table fare cooked on the grill. Still standing strong on the verdant, 1,400-acre grounds are the five 18-hole championship golf courses. The biggest challenge is pulling yourself away from the luxury of the resort to tee up a shot.

The owners of Sidework hit on the idea for their cozy little eatery after listening to locals grumble about how hard it was to find a low-key place to have a drink and casual bite during the summer and winter tourist seasons. They already owned the brewpub around the corner, so they turned the adjacent space—which they used for “sidework” like filling water pitches and rolling silverware into napkins—into the spot everyone was craving. Today the narrow, intimate bar serves self-described “American-American comfort food,” which includes small plates like blue claw crab soup, fig flatbreads, and charcuterie boards, and larger dishes such as olive-oil-poached branzino and beef short ribs in red wine reduction. For the perfect start to your night, drop by during the daily happy hour for discounts on select wine, beer, cocktails, and mini filet mignon sliders.

Opened in 2011 in a historic brownstone, Vedge is widely considered one of the best vegan restaurants in America. Even such veganism-averse food critics as Alan Richman have sung its praises, and chef Rich Landau and his wife, Kate Jacoby, the pastry chef at Vedge, have both been nominated for James Beard awards. Landau works with ingredients that traditionally send carnivores running (tofu, seitan), but inventive dishes—such as salt-roasted beets layered with avocado, smoked tofu, and pickle mustard, a play on pastrami on rye—upend their hippie-dippie reputation. Save room for dessert: Jacoby’s creations, such as caramel-and-pecan-topped NOLA mud pie, have their own cult following.

As the name suggests, this soaring 44-story hotel from the Ritz-Carlton brand is peppered with high-end artwork, mainly by renowned Spanish and Catalan artists such as Eduardo Chillida, Albert Rafols-Casamada, Perico Pastor, and Luis Feito. But there’s much more to the hotel than paintings and sculptures—such as the peaceful terraced gardens, an outdoor swimming pool that overlooks a large Frank Gehry fish sculpture, a luxury spa offering panoramic views, and several excellent restaurants. The hotel overlooks Barcelona and the Mediterranean from its prime location on the Olympic Port. And, perhaps best of all, the beach is right at the doorstep.

The rooms are a delight, too, with dark-wood furnishings and flooring, flat-screen TVs, and sleek, spacious bathrooms that come with separate bathtubs and Asprey toiletries. The hotel’s penthouses are even more swish; guests who book one of these will not only get their own private elevator and fully equipped kitchen (where the hotel’s chefs will happily prepare meals en suite) but can also book a dedicated butler service.

The Bo-Kaap was one of the few Cape Town neighborhoods to escape apartheid’s bulldozers—the cluster of bright buildings, once known as the Malay Quarter, housed many of the slaves who worked for the 17th-century Dutch colonialists. In this colorful area, you can also see some of the oldest, most beautiful mosques in the country, including the Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street. Upscale shops have been moving in lately, but don’t miss one of the originals, the spice merchant Atlas Trading Company. To go back in time, explore the Bo-Kaap Museum, furnished like the house of a typical 19th-century Muslim family.

Shanghai tailors are the best in the world, says fashion designer Christy Holzer, whose label, Dowry Designs, was inspired by the city. She suggests visiting the South Bund fabric market to order custom garments. DRESS: STALL 308 “A fun style to wear is the qipao [a centuries-old Chinese dress that got its form-fitting shape in the 1920s]. Traditional silk patterns make the garment look old, so request a solid-color silk.” SUIT: STALL 309 “If you want truly exceptional fabric, ask for 100 percent wool. Most of the wool fabrics they have are blends. Specify that they line your suit with 100 percent silk or cotton.” COTTON SHIRT: STALL 310 “Look at the buttons the tailors are planning to use, as they often choose cheap ones. If you don’t like the buttons, stop by a button stall at the market; it will be worth the extra investment.” Illustration by Michael Hoeweler.

Wonderful catamarans that you can rent right off the beach.

Taking a nighttime stroll through Brooklyn, retracing George Washington’s footsteps as he was engaging British forces in Brooklyn and Long Island who went on to invade New York City in the summer of 1776 during the American Revolution (I love a good dose of American history). I paused for a moment to admire the ingenuity and design of the Brooklyn Bridge as well as the Manhattan skyline. Then I found myself humming Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind.”

In 1971, squatters moved into the barracks on an abandoned military base and established Freetown Christiania, an autonomous district in the middle of the city. Later, many dwellers built their own homes on the 86-acre property. Although the Danish Supreme Court ruled this year that the state owns the land, the area’s nearly 1,000 residents have yet to be evicted. Today, visitors can bike along tree-lined paths and check out the handmade structures before they disappear. christiania.org. This appeared in the July/August 2011 issue.

Arriving in Dublin on the morning of St. Patrick’s Day is like experiencing the calm before the storm. The cobblestone streets of Temple Bar are quiet and nearly empty, and bicyclists can cycle through the narrow streets with ease. This is the time to have breakfast while devising a plan: Do you want to find a place near the parade route? Should you claim a table at a pub? We filled up on eggs and coffee at Elephant and Castle in Temple Bar, and then saw the end of the parade. By noon, streets were clogged with people from all over the world -- singing in the streets, painting shamrocks on strangers’ faces -- and pubs rang out with traditional Irish songs. Don’t be shy if you don’t know the lyrics, since there’s a good chance you’ll hear the songs again. Have a Guinness (or two) and join in!

You will likely meet at least three generations of the Porpora family during your meal at this warm and inviting restaurant. The food, too, is inviting: Deep-fried zucchini flowers are stuffed with ricotta, anchovy, and lemon zest, and traditional Amalfi Coast pasta dishes (like one with mussels, potatoes, zucchini, and provolone) have a lighter, more modern touch than versions elsewhere. Chef Giosuè Maresca’s wife, Mariella, makes the restaurant’s legendary desserts: In particular, try the tart and creamy delizie al limone. A few doors down, Vincenzo’s sister holds court at a small shop that sells the aprons worn by the servers at Da Vicenzo, as well as ceramics, small-batch olive oil, liqueurs, tablecloths, and glassware.

Featuring mostly local wine and craft beer, South Rims Wine and Beer Garage is located on historic Route 66 in uptown Williams, Arizona. Here, you’ll find some of the best local white and red varietals on tap, such as Keeling Schaefer’s Viognier and Page Springs Cellar’s plum-and-pepper–forward Vino Del Barrio red blend, plus a deep selection of microbrews, including rich Koffee Kölsch from Huss Brewing Company in Tempe and a Hefeweizen courtesy of Oak Creek Brewing Company in Sedona. South Rims’ menu of food items, from the gourmet pretzel basket to the grilled sirloin, pair perfectly with the drink options. You’ll want to allow yourself plenty of time to sip at the bar, or enjoy a full meal on the sprawling outdoor courtyard.

You can try some of Rome’s best street food at Trapizzino, named for its heralded crispy pizza pockets filled with uniquely Roman flavors like pollo alla cacciatora (spicy chicken), picchiapò (stewed beef), and trippa alla romana (tripe), as well as some newer additions like zighinì (a spicy Eritrean stew). Trapizzino is a two-room shop: a lab where you can pick and choose fillings (and grab takeout), and a second room that serves both as a dining area and a gourmet delicatessen with artisanal beer, canned tomatoes, and tins of anchovies.

From the outside, the Royal Ontario Museum appears to have been struck by a mineral formation from outer space. When the original building was overhauled by starchitect Daniel Libeskind, many locals were dismayed by the new addition, called the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, but most have come around to its angular charms. Visitors to this museum of world cultures and natural history can work their way through galleries showcasing Chinese sculptures, Canada’s First Nations artifacts and crafts, dinosaur skeletons, and Byzantine artwork. Special exhibits have included everything from the intricate textiles of Mexico to an in-depth look at the culture of tattoos.

Comuna was born as an alternative cultural space and has now become a landmark in newly hot “BotaSoho,” what they call the hipster scene in Botafogo, an old-style but rapidly gentrifying neighborhood. Open till sunup, this stone mansion has gained renown for its homemade burgers—go for the ones that feature wasabi mayonnaise—and for the casual vibe, common enough in Rio, but which here more resembles that of a São Paulo bar. The pleasant patio is great for stand-up drinking and movie-watching, while the upper level is given over to food events, theater performances, parties, and more.